How to stop visitors from using empty bed???

[AJPV]

We have a number of semi-private rooms. It isn't uncommon for us to have one bed occupied with the other bed empty (awaiting a possible second patient). I can't believe how common it is for family/friends of a patient to think the second bed is there for their comfort and convenience! We have tried everything - putting the bed in the highest position, electronically locking it there, unplugging the bed from the wall outlet, placing a little card on the overhead table explaining that the bed must remain unused & clean for other patients. I'll come walking into the room and family/friends have climbed in the bed or set it up as their personal office with their laptop, and they will eat food in the bed showering it with a generous helping of potato chip crumbs. Seriously??? Any creative ideas on how to deter this?

[rngreenhorn]

Put biohazard tape across it. Then come into the room wearing full personal protective gear, including the PAPR hood to push the bed further against the wall.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

You just have to educate the people who are visiting. If you were not a nurse, you probably would think that it is alright to sit on the bed, especially if there are no chairs around. Everyone has to remember what it was like before you were a nurse. You have to think about the patients family and not be so critical of them.

Well, one would hope that a little education would work, but naaahhh. Not in the slightest.

You'll see.......

[nursel56]

I could order some fake poo online (you know, the plastic fake dog poo) and place it conveniently on the empty bed

Or it might be worth it to invest in one of those new remote control Whoopie Cushions and go the public humiliation route. And really, with three teenagers hanging out they won't suspect you.

Kidding. (sorta :))

[DixieRedHead, ASN, RN]

Bed high, Side rails up, take a piece of tape and write on it with a magic marker, "Clean, For Patient Use Only." Stretch the tape from side rail to side rail. If that doesn't stop them they are too stupid to get it anyway.

[VICEDRN, BSN, RN]

I have no advice but thanks for preparing me for yet another version of entitled patient and family meets realities of health care. We have set up the wrong expectations with this customer service garbage and here is the proof positive. With bed up, table with little card on it over the bed, everyone on earth KNOWS you don't want them to touch it, they just don't CARE.

[diva rn, BSN, RN]

If it is an issue in a particular room, can you just remove the second bed and place it in your clean storage/utility room? We did this frequently out on the floors.

No bed, No chance to sit on...also kept the # of visitors down, too. They can't all stand around and we conviently didn't have many chairs they could bring into the rooms. 2 or up to 4 are fine, take turns if there are more...but when you get the family reunions in there...it's ridiculous.

(that was the beauty of the unit..only 2 visitors at bedside at a time-and never one hour before or after report)

[opjewel]

I will carefully explain the hospital/facility procedure to the patient and relatives on admission.

A notice would be clearly and boldly written to serve as warning and placed strategically.

anyone who contravenes thereafter would be left to blame, cos he may have to pay the standard rate for the day and be treated like a patient.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Take the linen.

Remove all but one chair; there doesn't need to be a crowd there at night.

Customer service still needs some common sense (yeah-I know- we're talking about humans here...).

Wanna bed? Sign the admit/billing forms.

[Wave Watcher]

What if the patient coded? We have allowed a couple of people to sleep over and bring a cot in the room, but I tell them we need to have enough room in case something does happen like a code. I once had a family member bring a cot in and she was setting it up in a semi private room between the beds, told her she couldn't do that, we need room to intervene if something happened. We called a rapid response the next day on the patient.

Trust me I agree!! This was a new patient for me when I came in at the start of the week. She had been there several days prior to me having her. EVERYONE was letting them continue to sleep on the floor around the bed....after the crock pot incident happened the charge nurse finally put her foot down and told them no more! About time.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

The hospital I worked at had mostly private rooms. I had one patient who's family (mostly teenagers) stayed with her every night. They actually put blow up mattresses all over the floor and around the bed. I know there had to of been at least 4 kids in that room each night. The room looked like it had exploded! What finally threw me over the edge was a friend of the patients came in and brought a crock pot and cooler. She was cooking in the crock pot on the counter by the sink and the cooler had alcohol in it. I about died! I just walked out, got my charge nurse and let her handle the situation. I was over it at that point....I was not mentally stable enough to explain to them WHY you can't do that!! Ugh! lol

Security ASAP..... the cooking in an unchecked appliance is a code violation; the booze is just plain stupid. I'd give them a chance to pack up and go, or be escorted out. If that didn't work, then call the police. Period.

Do we really need to start posting at the door (and including in paperwork) "Admission includes room and board for the patient only; additional 24/7 visitors will be allowed at the Charge Nurse's discretion only, for the reasons of a terminal or unstable family member/SO. Violators will be subject to trespassing charges". But noooooOOOOOOoooooo...... Press Ganey would be all over that one; nurses = concierge industry at this point. It stinks like roadkill in July on a Texas highway.

[rngreenhorn]

We too had a patient come into his wife's room with a cooler of beer, and his dogs. He cracked a cold one right there is the room. I thought it was hilarious. PARTY'S in room 2010!!!! But the charge nurse and security was not so happy with the turn of events..... parties over, the charge nurse messed it up for everybody. ;0).

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

Visitors lounging on beds, kids who are visiting popping wheelies in the wheelchairs in the halls, screaming brats allowed to run helter skelter through the building. It's all just an extension of the entitlement mentality. I'm having none of it, thank you very much, in my building. We're a health care facility, NOT a hotel or a spa....or a bar!